Commercial decorating contractor for Croydon offices. Post-regen mixed stock, high tenant churn, dilapidations repaints to CBRE and JLL standard, out-of-hours occupied building programmes. CHAS accredited, fixed price.
Croydon's commercial property market has seen sustained tenant movement through the post-regeneration cycle. Buildings managed by CBRE, JLL and Savills generate a consistent flow of dilapidations repaints as leases expire or tenants vacate. The challenge is often programme — landlords want the building back on the market quickly, which means the decorating reinstatement needs to happen within a few weeks of handback. We mobilise fast and price from the schedule, not from first principles.
Croydon's 1960s and 1970s commercial towers contain offices that have often been redecorated multiple times over their life. The result is layers of paint, adhesion failures, cracks in plaster and ceilings that need more than a single coat of emulsion. We assess surface condition at survey and include all necessary preparation in the fixed price. There are no additional variation charges once work starts. This matters when a surveyor is walking the building at the end of the job.
The newer Grade A buildings in Croydon — managed by CBRE and JLL on behalf of institutional landlords — operate to a higher finish standard. The decorating specification is more precise: specific Dulux or Farrow & Ball shades to schedule, smooth finish throughout, no roller stipple. Occupied buildings in this category require out-of-hours working to remove the disruption entirely. We work to Grade A specification and confirm the finish standard with the surveyor before starting.
Croydon's commercial office market covers a broad spectrum of building stock — from the 1960s towers that dominate the skyline to the new Grade A buildings that emerged from the post-2010 regeneration programme. The two markets have different decorating requirements, different finish standards and different landlord expectations. We work across both.
The common thread is churn. Croydon has a more active vacancy and re-let cycle than some comparable out-of-town markets, which means there is a consistent pipeline of dilapidations repaints, void redecorations and lease-end reinstatements. Managing agents — CBRE, JLL, Savills, Knight Frank and Cushman & Wakefield all operate in the Croydon market — need a decorator who can mobilise quickly, price accurately from the schedule and complete without generating a snagging list.
| Decorating scope | Typical range | Key variables |
|---|---|---|
| Single room / reception repaint | from £1,200 | Size, finish, prep required |
| Full floor repaint (open plan) | £4,500 – £14,000 | Floor area, ceiling height, specification |
| Dilapidations repaint | Priced on schedule | Reinstatement standard, surface condition |
| PPM repainting visit | £1,800 – £6,000 | Scope agreed on programme |
| Full building redecoration | Priced on survey | Floor count, occupied access, programme |
| Out-of-hours uplift | +15–25% | Evening/weekend access required |
Fixed price after site visit. CHAS documentation provided before mobilisation. Preparation costs included in quoted price.
Croydon's older commercial towers — including many of the high-rise offices built in the 1960s through to the 1990s — present a specific set of decorating challenges. Multiple previous decoration cycles mean paint layers, adhesion failures and cracked plaster are common. A superficial repaint won't pass a dilapidations surveyor's inspection or hold up for more than a few months before defects reappear.
We assess surface condition at survey and include all necessary preparation in the fixed price. Stripping loose paint, skim repairs, stain blocking — whatever the surface needs before decoration — is in the quote. You don't find out about extra costs after we've started.
The newer Grade A buildings in Croydon — Ruskin Square and similar developments managed by CBRE and JLL — operate to a finish standard that is appreciably higher than the older stock. The decorating specification is more precise: specific shades confirmed against the landlord's base build schedule, smooth finish with no roller texture, clean cut lines at every junction. The margin for a second-quality finish is zero on a Grade A dilapidations inspection.
Occupied Grade A buildings also require out-of-hours access to avoid disruption to tenants. We programme evening and weekend working, confirm access arrangements with the building manager in advance and keep the building clean and secure throughout.
CR0 town centre, East Croydon and West Croydon commercial district, Ruskin Square, Wellesley Road. Purley Way out-of-town parks. M23/A23 access.
Sutton, Bromley, Mitcham, Wimbledon and wider south London commercial market. Gatwick corridor as far as Redhill and Reigate. All within standard operating distance.
Site visit within 48 hours. Fixed-price quote in 3–5 working days. Preparation included. CHAS documentation provided before mobilisation.